Venger (en. Revenge)

/vɑ̃ʒe/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
verb
To punish or exact revenge on someone for a wrong suffered.
He decided to avenge his friend by confronting the culprit.
Il a décidé de venger son ami en confrontant le coupable.
To remedy a wrong by inflicting a similar harm on the wrongdoer.
She seeks to avenge the injustice she suffered.
Elle cherche à venger l'injustice qu'elle a subie.
To resort to revenge to restore balance.
Legend tells how the hero avenged his people.
La légende raconte comment le héros a vengé son peuple.

Etymology

From Latin 'vindicare' meaning 'to claim, to punish'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

avenge someone's death
To seek justice for someone's death.
venger la mort de quelqu'un
avenge a humiliation
To respond to a humiliation with vengeance.
venger une humiliation
avenge an affront
To repair an affront suffered through an act of revenge.
venger un affront

Related Words

vengeance
The act of taking revenge, the desire to punish someone.
vengeance
to derogate
To not respect something, often related to a promise.
déroger
retaliation
A swift response in reaction to an attack, often with the intent to harm.
riposte

Slang Meanings

To take revenge on a rival.
He wanted to avenge the lost match by challenging him.
Il a voulu venger le match perdu en le défiant.
To respond forcefully after an offense.
She literally avenged her reputation with a vigorous defense.
Elle a littéralement vengé sa réputation par une défense énergique.